


Pirates of the Caribbean: The Navy

by ShaynePratt



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-07 01:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11612676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShaynePratt/pseuds/ShaynePratt
Summary: In May of 1742, Jack Sparrow was arrested at Port Royal. That night the town was attacked, and the Governor's daughter kidnapped - or so the Navy believed. A hunt for the Black Pearl to recover Elizabeth Swan was undertaken, secondary, was the recovery of their escaped prisoner and the Interceptor. (no pairings, novelization of the movie)





	1. Festivus Interuptus

**Author's Note:**

> In this story, Gillette's first name is given as William (yes I am aware this makes there two Will's in this story). This is because of a friend of mine, the portrayal he is based on, gave him that name.

Curse of the Black Pearl - Part 1 - Festivus Interuptus  
Ceremonies were much the same each time, all following a single pattern; though Groves admittedly to himself that he had not attended many, not any at all for someone personally known to him. He certainly did not complain about the humidity, staple of the coming Caribbean summer, or the way nearly everyone in the courtyard appeared to be holding their breath. Whether they honestly couldn't breathe for the soupy texture of the air or were expecting some grand thing to happen he couldn't be certain.

Ceremonies were much the same each time, all following a single pattern; though Groves admittedly to himself that he had not attended many, not any at all for someone personally known to him. He certainly did not complain about the humidity, staple of the coming Caribbean summer, or the way nearly everyone in the courtyard appeared to be holding their breath. Whether they honestly couldn't breathe for the soupy texture of the air or were expecting some grand thing to happen he couldn't be certain.  
Once or twice his friend and partner Will may have discreetly elbowed him in the side as a reminder to pay attention. Gillette was far too proper to hiss or corrected him aloud for fear of causing distraction himself or interrupting the proceedings.

Once or twice his friend and partner Will may have discreetly elbowed him in the side as a reminder to pay attention. Gillette was far too proper to hiss or corrected him aloud for fear of causing distraction himself or interrupting the proceedings.  
Nearly an hour later the pomp and circumstance was completed and as a pair, they joined the crowd to congratulate Norrington and to try to part the throng enough to allow the poor man to catch his own breath. There was of course only one individual the newly-appointed Commodore had any real wish to speak to – and she looked absolutely stunning.

As the crowd thinned out and began making their way in search of cool refreshments Miss Swan had retreated to the ramparts. Norrington excused himself and to allow the two to have a private conversation the two lieutenants completed their duty in distracting the remaining well-wishers. Of course, the conversation wasn't entirely private, there were more than enough people within eyesight or distant ear shot (perhaps one or two individuals who were doing their best to overhear even though they had a good idea what the subject matter was already).

In short order the two on the rampart were diminished to one, as Miss Swan inexplicably vanished over the wall. The sight was so obscured and unexpected that the two stood with jaws dropped, blinking in astonishment until their officer's shout spurred Gillette into movement and that in turn broke the spell holding Groves in place. Will, of course, reached the spot first and pulled him back off the wall and Theodore peered down into the water. As Will had said, missing the rocks was a sheer miracle, though the height of the wall itself was a rather daunting fall.

For a rescue to be attempted, the long circuitous route through the fort and out to the docks would need to be taken, then a boat launched to the wall and a man who was blessed with the ability to swim would need to retrieve her. Not a turn the day had been expected to take. While the other two fathered a few men and the Governor, someone still needed to remain at the garrison and disperse the partygoers. The majority chose to remain with Groves on the wall, watching for some sign of Miss Swan and the rescue party. From that vantage point, he watched bubbles rise from under the waves and then a shock and ripple, larger than any stone hitting water. It rose up and spread outward. The ships rocked on their anchors as it passed and when it reached the mouth of the harbor all at once the wind turned. Suddenly the day had felt more like a Northern autumn than the beginning of a tropical summer. Groves shivered under his wool coat. Others along the wall did the same.

Around that moment someone dove off the stern of Interceptor and swam toward the fort. It wasn't either of the Marines (both of whom had been selected to watch the ship to prevent their arguing to disrupt the ceremony) as Groves could easily spy their scarlet coats still on board. Unwilling to take eyes off the swimmer and the rocks below he called for a spyglass and one was promptly supplied. The man ducked under the water. The whole gathering crowd once again held their breath until he reappeared with Miss Swan in tow and then erupted into cheers.

Groves wondered whether Norrington would feel grateful to have her rescued, even by an unknown man, or robbed of the opportunity to have done so himself. The glass went to his eye again as activity moved back to the dock where the party from the fort was arriving just in time to meet the unknown rescuer and the two Marines who had dashed from the ship. Rather quickly the atmosphere he could perceive on the crowded dock moved from shaking hands to handing the man over to Gillette and a couple of Marines to be arrested. He lowered the glass to frown at another observing sailor who shrugged back.

Then the crowd parted enough to see Miss Swan, sans dress or corset and he nearly dropped the glass down into the harbor.  
After fumbling for a moment Theodore raised it again and focused instead on to Marines milling about uncomfortably, the look of extreme displeasure on Gillette's face that he was certain was mirrored on Norrington's judging by the tense set to the man's shoulders, and the way the Governor fidgeted. He turned back just in time to see the now-prisoner wrap the long chain of the cuff's around Miss Swan's neck and throw her back at his captors. Yet again the day took a drastic turn.

The man, who very clearly had no desire for arrest, was swinging about up in the air while soldiers took a dunk in the water and musket balls flew every which way in an attempt to hit him. From the fort the rapports were delayed but when they were heard and the muzzle smoke noticed even more sailors and soldiers turned out and joined the watching crowd. They all observed in awe as the man swung once more over the dock then was pursued up the street, watching until the action moved out of sight.


	2. Some Nights

Over the evening meal, Gillette was the center of all attention. Of course, Norrington had several congratulations and offers to be treated for drinks but the gap between himself and the junior officers had been widened even more. A Captain or gentleman ranking higher was not permitted in the wardroom, and wardroom officers did not dine with the Captain (or senior) unless of course either party was specifically invited. The Commodore had been thus invited but declined and so it fell to Gillette to tell of the capture of Captain Jack Sparrow.  
Quite suddenly the earlier ceremony and the conversation on the rampart had fallen from everyone's minds.  
It was a lively conversation that evening and they all remained awake and chatting well into the evening before reluctantly turning in. If a few were rather tipsy and listing that was only to be expected. Each tumbled back to their rooms. While normally lieutenants were considered far too junior to have their own quarters and normally shared with one other, Fort Charles had a small enough staff for it to be permissible. It was a luxury that was well enjoyed.  
The first vibration of the outer wall around the time of the fifth bell of the first watch did nothing to rouse the fort. It was the return volley of cannon fire right over the heads of the sleeping men that did it. Soldiers, sailors, and officers tumbled from their cots and were surprised to feel a stone floor instead of the rolling deck under their feet when roused by cannon fire. A ship rocked on its side with each broadside volley but the stone was unmoving. More than one of them stumbled into a wall from surprise. Once this oriented men threw on trousers and night shirts, grabbed muskets and cartridge boxes and rushed to find the source of the commotion. Officers too scrambled to dress in the bare minimum and so when arriving on the wall and in the courtyard were hardly distinguishable from those they commanded.  
Amidst the confusion companies and detachments were quickly formed, some not even waiting for that but taking posts on their own. Atop the wall only the barest staffing of men was present to man cannons, artillery crews were sent to man the guns not currently attended and to replace those who had been struck by the first rounds of fire. To command, those crews were already officers aplenty and so only one young man was selected to report to the ramparts and he took with him a handful of midshipmen and ensigns to be runners.  
When the rest of the assembled officers and men looked out toward the town they saw that already fires were lighted. From the harbor familiar cannon rapports from Dauntless and Interceptor echoed to them, though the shots were few and far between. The ships had only skeleton crews to maintain them between voyages. Watching the muzzle flash, Gillette was already planning how quickly they could be made ready for a pursuit in the morning. He gestured to a detachment of men, a mix of Marines and sailors, the pirates would first need to be swept from the town and back into the water, or, preferably, rounded up to join the one currently sitting in the gaol. Groups of soldiers and sailors were collected by the other lieutenants, another handful left at the entrance of the fort as reinforcements and they began the march into town.  
At the furthest points from the chaos, it was as if the invasion wasn't even happening. A few drunks, a few women who at first attempted to distract the men, but no pirates and no panic. Before too long though the streets took on a more yellow glow from fires further down the way and fleeing citizens began to pass them on either side, a good number of them were clutching valuables or children to their chests. From then on it was easy to understand which way to head, simply head in the direction the citizenry were flocking away from and continue toward the water.  
Once closer to the chaos time was taken to construct hasty barricades to provide shelter for those fleeing and slow the advance of those invading – should they first get past those defending. About ten streets away from the water and after one such construction a sergeant touched Grove's arm, the lieutenant turned and the man pointed towards a small cluster of pirates making their way up the street. Each of them held a firelock in one hand and a long knife in the other, more such weapons were bristling out of their belts. They were so coated in dirt, sand, tar, and sweat so that almost no distinguishing features other than the mess could be made out. Shouting, cursing and swinging the weapons they chased a group of women up the street towards the barricade. It was hastily opened to allow the victims through and closed again. One pirate in the back of the group held a torch he was waving toward any wooden or straw structure in reach. Upon seeing the bristling muskets and bayonets they turned and began shattering shop windows, reaching through and helping themselves, seemingly unconcerned about the potential to be shot.  
"Ready!" Shouted the sergeant, twelve muskets were brought to chests, the pirates still were unconcerned and Groves frowned. The pirates began taunting the soldiers to come out from behind the barricade and stop them.  
"Fire." As one the detachment fired and the lead spat down the narrow street, Groves could see puffs of stucco where some went wide. The brigands were each slammed back a step or two, and he was sure they should be dead, but they quickly gathered and rushed forward and were almost at their position before a second more ragged volley struck home. This time they crumbled in a heap.  
The soldiers stepped out from behind their shelter and over the forms. Theodore stopped to check the bodies and found several bloody patches in their clothes and on their bodies; he frowned again and followed the men.  
At each intersection, each detachment of soldiers repeated the same actions. Sheltered those fleeing, and met the pirate invaders with volleys of musketry. Every time the volleys had to be repeated before men dropped, sometimes they didn't and bayonets were met with long knives or crude but effective sabers. The curved blades easily found their mark after a parry and had to be beaten viciously aside by the stocks of the heavier muskets. Madness or hashish from Persia was the conclusion.  
Without warning the town was emptied of pirates. They saw no more, heard no more and found themselves alone in the streets. A stomping of feet prompted Groves to wheel around with pistol presented and having to check himself when finding it pointed at the nose of Gillette instead of an invader. The two detachments were met by the rest at the waterfront and all saw retreating longboats. The vessels were darkened and the ship they were retreating too was blackened and shadowed. It appeared untouched by the continued fire from both the fort and anchored ships. Not a fire appeared on it though fire crews were hard at work in the town. At least their own ships were safe – damaged could be cataloged in the morning.  
Another hour was spent assisting and directing in the containing and quenching of fires before returning to the fort. A few marines and sailors had been lost, a greater number was sent to the surgeon.  
Not a single pirate had been located on the return, none was taken prisoner and no bodies recovered. Officers and men murmured, a few recalling stories of a black ship that had sacked other forts along the main. They were dismissed.  
Watches were reorganized, that took more time to create full crews in the event the brigands returned and just as exhausted men were about to turn in once more to attempt some amount of sleep before the work they knew would have to come in the morning, an ensign arrived. The young man was supposed to be at the gate but was now accompanied by a sobbing hysterical young woman.  
The pirates, it appeared, had not retreated without more than just material valuables. As a pair, Gillette and Groves turned to face the Commodore's office where the Governor was just emerging.


End file.
